Truck Accident Lawyer in Peachtree Corners

In a growing city like Peachtree Corners, Georgia, you may often find yourself sharing the road with commercial trucks. The significant size and weight of these large trucks can feel intimidating and unfortunately, even a minor accident with a commercial truck can leave you with severe injuries.

After a truck accident, you may find that your life will never be the same. Unexpected costs and lasting injury could leave you picking up the pieces, trying to get back to normal living, and sidetracked from your recovery. However, if you aren’t liable for your accident, you may deserve compensation to alleviate your newfound financial burdens.

Insurance companies may be reluctant to pay you what you deserve, and you may wonder how you can find justice for what you’ve endured. In a truck accident, legal liability is complicated — in fact, there may be more than one party that owes you compensation.

The right truck accident lawyer in Peachtree Corners can compassionately stand beside you, help your voice to be heard, and help you to navigate through every step of the legal process.

At The Scott Pryor Law Group, we will advise you on the legal merits of your case, help you to calculate the damages you should seek in a lawsuit, and fight for your justice so that you can focus on healing.

What you need to know about truck accidents in Georgia
- Why truck accidents often result in severe personal injury
Why you need a Peachtree Corners truck accident lawyer
Common types of truck accidents
Compensation after a truck accident in Peachtree Corners
How to prove liability in a truck accident
How The Scott Pryor Law Group can help

What you need to know about truck accidents in Georgia

The highways of Georgia are home to many commercial truck accidents. In fact, in 2023 there were over 50,000 truck accidents in the state. In 2022, fatalities in truck accidents in the state soared to 260 — the most for any year on record.

Inclement weather and quick stops can cause these accidents which often lead to extreme trauma and pain and suffering. This is partially due to the significant size and weight of commercial trucks.

Commercial trucks can weigh between 10,000 and 85,000 pounds, and are, on average, at least 5xs the weight of an average compact car, 4xs the weight of an average sedan, and 3xs the weight of an SUV.

Trucking companies are federally mandated to provide training to their truckers and to adhere to safety and driving regulations. However, this doesn’t always occur. A truck accident lawyer with The Scott Pryor Law Group can help to gather evidence of any signs of company negligence in your collision. You may have a just claim to compensation if you can prove this gross negligence.

Here are some of the other contributing factors to the propensity of commercial truck accidents in Georgia:

Commercial trucks take up to 525 feet to come to a full stop

It takes a commercial truck 40% longer than non-commercial vehicles to come to a full stop

High winds and inclement weather can cause a truck to fishtail

Cargo that’s improperly loaded may cause an imbalanced truck to flip

Commercial trucks carrying hazardous or toxic material that’s improperly stored may experience spills that endanger other vehicles on the road

Cars tailgating commercial trucks can become wedged under the truck’s trailer

Every year in the U.S., truck accidents cause an average of 130,000 significant injuries that require medical treatment

Why truck accidents often result in severe personal injury

If you’re in a vehicle that is involved in an accident with a commercial truck, your resulting injuries may be serious. Even if the collision occurs at low speeds, a non-commercial passenger vehicle is not built to withstand the impact of a massive truck.

Along with the vast weight difference between a commercial truck and a passenger vehicle, the average height of a truck is 13.5 feet, while the average SUV stands at between 4.9 and 5.5 feet, and the average sedan is between 4 and 5 feet tall.

Why you need a Peachtree Corners truck accident lawyer

Although you can file a personal injury lawsuit and insurance claim on your own, it may be tough to navigate through the legal nuances without help from a Peachtree Corners truck accident lawyer.

For example, a trucking insurance company may either be quick to offer a lowball, lump sum settlement, or could outright deny your claim. It may feel tempting to accept a low settlement offer in order to pay some immediate bills, like current medical expenses, but by doing so, you won’t have further legal recourse to future compensation.

Similarly, there may be more than one party liable for your truck accident, and a lawyer can provide the resources needed to prove multiple party liability.

At The Scott Pryor Law Group, we understand how to manage negotiations with insurance companies, and have access to forensic experts and research that may strengthen your legal claim.

Contact The Scott Pryor Law Group for a free consultation

Jackknife accident is a common type of truck accidents

Common types of truck accidents

The truck accident attorneys of The Scott Pryor Law Group have handled numerous cases that involve commercial truck collisions. There are common types of truck accidents that can lead to valid personal injury claims, and that are often listed as the cause behind our client’s injuries.

The most common types of truck accidents that might lead to compensation include:

Jackknife accidents: Jackknife accidents occur when a truck rapidly changes lanes, reaches excessive speeds, or loses control on slick or wet roads.
Overweight truck accidents: If a truck’s cargo isn’t loaded properly or exceeds weight regulations, a truck driver could lose control and cause an accident.
Rear-end collisions: If a truck is moving at an excessive speed or the roads are wet and slick, a truck driver might rear-end a stopped vehicle.
Rollover accidents: Commercial trucks might rollover while making sharp turns, abruptly changing lanes, and speeding.
Side impact collisions: A truck’s blind spots can cause “T-bone” accidents, sideswipes, and other side impact collisions. If a truck driver fails to yield when merging, drives at a high speed, or merges into a lane without seeing a vehicle blocking the path, a truck accident can occur.
Tire blowouts: Almost every shoulder on a highway includes a piece of discarded commercial truck tread. As commercial trucks log a lot of miles, their tires need to be regularly replaced. If this replacement doesn’t occur when it’s necessary, it could lead to a tire blowout that creates an enormous hazard for other drivers on the road.

Compensation after a truck accident in Peachtree Corners

When you seek compensation after a truck accident in Peachtree Corners, your lawyer can advise you on what claims you should include. Every personal injury lawsuit involves different categories of compensation known as damages.

Damages cover the losses you suffered as a result of your accident. The three categories of damages are: Economic (also known as special damages), Non-Economic (also referred to as general damages), and Punitive.

A Peachtree Corners truck accident lawyer from The Scott Pryor Law Group will help you to determine the measurable and immeasurable costs you have to deal with as the result of your collision and include them in your legal claim.

Let’s take a look at each category’s definitions and examples to help you get a sense of what to include in your lawsuit.

Economic Damages

The measurable losses you’ve experienced as a result of your truck accident are known as economic damages. These are losses that have a set monetary value, but can include estimated future expenses as well.

Here are some examples of economic damages:

Assisted living costs
Lost wages (including bonuses, paid time off, and tips)
Home healthcare or hospice care costs
Medical expenses ( all doctor’s appointments, ER visits, hospital stays, prescriptions, surgeries, and treatment needed as a result of your accident)
Property repair and replacement costs
Transportation costs ( including public transportation bills, rental car fees, and ride shares)

Non-Economic Damages

You also may experience immeasurable losses as a result of your truck accident. Although these damages may not have a set monetary value, they matter tremendously. Non-economic damages won’t be able to make up for what you’ve suffered, but they can help to alleviate some of your expenses so that you can concentrate on your emotional, mental, and physical recovery.

Examples of non-economic damage claims include:

Catastrophic injury
Chronic pain
Disfigurement
Emotional trauma
Loss of limb
Paralysis
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
Wrongful death

Punitive Damages

After a successful verdict in a truck accident case, punitive damages are often handed down as “punishment” by a judge or jury. Georgia state code § 51-12-5.1 even defines punitive damages as “vindictive damages.” If the defendant in your case has exhibited gross negligence, there’s a chance that punitive damages will be added on as an additional award on top of your verdict.

For example, strict federal regulations mandate that truck drivers in Peachtree Corners limit their non-stop driving time and take time to rest between trips. Commercial truck drivers cannot drive for more than 11 hours after 10 hours off-duty and must not carry over 80,000 pounds of cargo. If a truck driver didn’t adhere to time off mandates and was on hour 14 of a non-stop drive before falling asleep at the wheel and hitting your vehicle, a judge or jury may choose to tack punitive damages onto your compensation.

75% of awarded punitive damages are immediately allocated to the Georgia state treasury and the remaining 25% goes to the plaintiff.

How to prove liability in a truck accident

As there are often multiple parties that could be found liable for a commercial truck accident, it can be difficult to prove liability on your own. The attorneys of The Scott Pryor Law Group can help guide you through the necessary steps to prove liability. Here are some examples of factors that will weigh heavily in your case.

Comparative fault laws in Georgia

Comparative fault refers to the fact that all parties involved in an accident may hold some fault for the collision. Georgia’s state law, §51-12-33, defines modified comparative negligence law to ensure that if a plaintiff holds over 50% of liability in a truck accident, the defendant will not have to pay compensation.

For example, if your collision with a truck driver is more than 50% your fault, you will not have a legal claim to compensatory damages. If you’re more than 0% at fault, but less than 50%, the amount of your settlement might decrease. However, if you hold less than 0% of the fault in your accident, your settlement will not be impacted.

A truck accident lawyer in Peachtree Corners from The Scott Pryor Law Group can honestly share your chances at success in your case, and advise you on how to proceed. This allows you to make an informed decision about whether or not you should pursue a personal injury claim.

Evidence a lawyer gathers to prove negligence

The evidence in a truck accident case can come from a number of places that a Peachtree Corners lawyer can access for you. This will help you to determine what named defendants should be included in your claim.

The evidence a truck accident lawyer in Peachtree Corners might examine in your case includes:

Truck’s Black Box: Similar to the recording devices found in commercial airplanes, Trucks are required to carry black box data recorders (also known as Event Data Recorders — EDRs) that include similar data to the recording devices of commercial airplanes. The black box records a truck’s brake application, speed, time in movement, and more. An attorney may examine the black box to see if there are any red flags that indicate trucker error or gross negligence.
Company records: A truck company’s records may contain evidence of neglected maintenance or a history of safety issues. A truck accident lawyer may pour over these records to find any patterns of failure to comply with required standards.
Driving Logs: Every year, U.S. truck drivers log over 300 billion miles and must keep meticulously detailed driving logs, including any incidents that may occur during their drive time. A truck accident lawyer might review these logs to look for any discrepancies or inaccuracies.
Trucker’s driving and employment history: A truck accident lawyer will also examine a trucker’s driving and employment history to look for patterns of negligence. For example, if a trucker has a record of numerous driving violations, doesn’t hold a commercial driver’s license, or has an unfavorable employment history, you may be able to establish a pattern of gross negligence.

Parties that may be liable for your truck accident

Although a truck driver may have hit you, the cause and nature of your truck accident may involve multiple liable parties. A truck accident lawyer in Peachtree Corners will advise you on the parties that may hold fault for your accident and include them as defendants in your lawsuit.

Liable parties in your truck accident might include the following:

Cargo company: A cargo company is responsible for the containment and loading process of a trucker’s haul. Improperly loaded cargo can cause dangerous spills and weight shifts and spills, and the cargo company could be found to hold fault for your accident.
Driver: If your accident occurs when a truck driver is off the clock but still driving a company vehicle, the driver may be the only party at fault. Similarly, if a truck driver is operating a truck under the influence of alcohol or drugs, is exceeding the speed limit, or exhibits reckless driving behavior, they may hold full liability for your collision.
Trucking Company: If a trucking company fails to meet industry standards or doesn’t enforce driving requirements, this could result in partial liability evidence in your truck accident case.
Truck manufacturer: If a truck manufacturer has issued a recall or installed faulty parts, they may hold fault for your accident. For example, if a faulty engine part causes a commercial truck to lock and become uncontrollable, you might file a lawsuit against the manufacturer.

How The Scott Pryor Law Group can help

A truck accident lawyer in Peachtree Corners from The Scott Pryor Law Group understands that your trauma can alter your life forever. Your personal experience in a truck accident matters and you need someone who will fight for your justice on your side.

The Scott Pryor Law Group stands committed to giving you a legal voice, advocating for you in negotiations with giant insurance companies, and passionately fighting for the compensation you deserve.

You’re not alone in this fight, and the first step to justice in your case is just a free consultation away.

Although we can’t guarantee a successful verdict, we can guarantee that we will work tirelessly to help advocate for you. As a firm, we’ve also won 7-figure settlements for many clients — including a $4,500,000 settlement that stands as the highest-ever compensatory amount for a truck accident in Greenville County, South Carolina.

Schedule your free consultation today.